Jimi Lane

I'm looking at a 1978 Vette.
It's great inside and out, it just doesn't have air, something I need!
How hard is it to install an aftermarket air conditioning kit?

thanks,
Jim

page62

I don't think there is an aftermarket kit. And if there is, it's gonna be a pain to install considering the cramped layout of a C3. If you can't live without air, keep looking... :yesnod:

Eddie 70

A buddy of mine installed an aftermarket kit in his 69. He said it worked really good. I don't recall the brand so, this post is mostly useless to you. But there is a kit made to add air to C3 vettes.

geezer

Go to Vintage Air. (Type Vintage Air in Google.) I'm sure they have one for the Shark cars. It uses a small (Sanyo?) compressor about the size of an alternator and it's all set up for R134. These guys made their mark in suppling hot rodders with A/C for their 3 window coupes so a Vette ain't no problem.

joeveto

When you say the car doesn't have air, do you mean it was never equipped with A/C? Or do you mean someone, at some time, removed the A/C? Of the 40,274 Corvettes made in 1978, 37,638 of them were equipped with A/C. If this is a non A/C car, it's somewhat rare. Although I agree, the lack of A/C stinks.

If the car was equipped with air at one point, hooking the A/C back up isn't that hard, nor is retrofitting the system with the new refrigerant. If the car never had A/C, I'd suggest finding a Vette with A/C. Putting a kit in, or converting the car to an A/C car, using stock parts (so as not to look patched together) will be a PITA and cost a lot more.

There are so many 78's out there, I'd say find one with air.

Vintage Air does not make a kit specifically for the C3. But they do make a kit for earlier Vettes.


[Modified by joeveto, 8:57 AM 3/14/2004]

74FLCONV

I searched high-and-low for a working A/C vert before settling on my car. Now, the hot sun beating down through the top, combined with the engine/exhaust heat coming up from below, makes the interior an oven, A/C or not.

I pulled the belt and only drive when the weather is suitable. So much for A/C!

D. Ocean
Miami, FLA

mapman

:iagree:

Jimi Lane

No, The car didn't come from the factory with air. Vintage Air doesn't have a kit for it. They do have a kit for some of the older C3s though. I guess that kit doesn't work with the older ones. I was going to trade a 1993 Special Edition (Ruby Red) Vette for the '78. I wanted a C3 in the first place.

Well, I guess I'll pass on this one........

Thanks guys!!!

Jim

71coupe

Hot Rod Air sells a kit
http://www.hotrodair.com/
The under-dash '68-'82 SB kit p/n is 75-1068 $ 925.00
The in-dash '68-'82 SB kit p/n is 75-0068 $ 1150.00
No major modifications required
:cheers:

Corey_68

Vintage air :yesnod:

FASGLAS

Eckler's has what you're looking for.

part # 39945

:cheers:

Smokehouse69

I'd recommend Hot Rod Air, mainly because they are close to me, :D actually they provided a kit for a guy I met up in Houston. It was a slick installation and leaves you 'vette with a nice flat firewall, and a great looking polished compressor. It cooled his BB block car off like a deep freeze! In 93 degree temp and high humidity it was producing 39-41 F air at an idle in a garage.
It replaces the evaporator and heater core in one compact unit that fits behind and under the dash on the passenger side.
I have a couple of pictures of another installation of a Hot Rod Air in a 75 coupe. This was a custom installation from a couple of years ago, before they had a kit. The guy that did the installation fabricated a bunch of stuff himself (vent hoses, brackets, etc.) the unit he installed is also bigger than the unit that is currently sold by Hot Rod Air.
I couldn't find all the pics on my home computer, but here are links to the ones I have. They are huge so I'm just putting in links and not the pics.
Console Controls
Evaporator under the Dash
Evaporator with pad off
Fire Wall side showing hole left by old evaporator and blower.
From inside the car
Gary White of Sugarland Texas did this installation, he has since sold the car.


[Modified by Smokehouse69, 1:31 PM 3/14/2004]

Jack71

Good decision. Find a car with A/C, you will be much happier with that setup in the long run.

Jimi Lane

Well, I went ahead and traded.
The new paint, emblems, engine, and transmission was hard to pass up.
By the way, the car had been stolen, the emblems taken off, and the drive train removed. They had scratched the paint removing the engine.

Thanks for all the info!!!
I will put it to good use.

Jim

snaketr

Try Old air , they will have a universal one you can use.

PROSOUTH

I would take evey piece of the A/C Delete package off very carefully and save it. There is always someone looking for a non-air setup. It will probably bring enough to supplement the A/C kit you are going to buy.

I ordered a new '78 and one of my friends ordered one at the same time I did. His was L-82, 4 speed without A/C. It was as base a car as could be ordered except for the L-82. It was what he wanted at the time. He like to have never sold it because it didn't have air and was 4 speed. Go figure. Jim

Jimi Lane

I think I can do without the air for a few months here in NC for now.
I'm going to try and find the setup that does the least damage to what is there now.

Jim